1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to generally to manual riveting tools, and more particularly to a rivet squeezer with a repositionable yoke for making access possible to otherwise inaccessible rivets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rivets remain a popular fastening choice not only in aircraft assembly but also in other vehicles such as trucks, buses, boats and the like. Aircraft preventive maintenance, especially helicopters, is intensive in view of the high degree of reliability required and vibration loads typically present. Replacing rivets that are difficult to access in a completed helicopter assembly is a recurring challenge. Although blind rivets requiring access only on one side of the rivet for installation can sometimes be utilized in less-critical joints, solid rivets are preferred from both a cost and structural-integrity standpoint.
In aircraft maintenance solid rivets are most commonly installed by two mechanics, one using a rivet gun and the second a bucking bar on the opposite side of the rivet. Conventional rivet squeezers are used by a single mechanic to squeeze both sides and install a small number of solid rivets. Such tools generally have a pair of handles one stationary and the other operating as a lever arm engaging a mechanical linkage that moves a plunger up and down (approximately along the axis of the stationary handle) inside a C-shaped yoke portion of the tool. Still these tools are difficult to use if the access is such that upon attempting to position the riveting head and anvil yoke around a rivet other surrounding aircraft structure is in the way of the handles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hand tool for a single mechanic installing solid rivets in tight spaces where access is limited. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rivet squeezer with a head and yoke portion that are adjustable relative the handles to make the most of whatever access is available. It is a still further object of the invention to provide a rivet squeezer with an effective mechanical linkage to convert the forces applied to the handles into the forces necessary to properly install the solid rivets, and to do so however the rivet squeezer is configured for access.